Java - Software Developer / Team Lead – Lead Team Building Software Behind Sa'S Foremost Fintec[...]

Acuity Consultants; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 1 300 000 - 1 600 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading fintech product house is seeking a Senior Java Software Developer / Team Lead in Cape Town. This role offers a unique blend of hands-on engineering and leadership, requiring expertise in Java, Spring Boot, and cloud-native solutions. The ideal candidate will mentor a software team, deliver high-scale systems, and contribute to a dynamic tech stack while enjoying competitive compensation of R1.3m – R1.6m.

Qualifications

• 2+ years leading a software development team.
• 6+ years of solid software development experience.
• Someone who enjoys mentoring, learning, and solving complex technical problems.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of software engineers and business analysts.
• Guide project delivery from design through deployment, ensuring high-quality, on-time delivery.
• Architect and review scalable, cloud-native software solutions.

Skills

Java (8+)

Spring Boot

RESTful APIs

Microservices Architecture

Cloud-Native Application Design (preferably Azure or AWS)

CI / CD using tools like Jenkins

Containerisation and Orchestration – Docker

SQL (PostgreSQL, MySQL)

NoSQL (MongoDB, Cassandra)

Kafka

Agile Development Practices

Education

Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or similar

Tools

Git

JUnit

Mockito

Job description

This is an excellent hands-on Technical Leadership opportunity for a SENIOR JAVA SOFTWARE DEVELOPER wanting to continue building deep technical expertise while also growing leadership skills. Based in CAPE TOWN, this JAVA SOFTWARE DEVELOPER / TEAM LEAD role offers a salary of R1.3m – R1.6m. In this role you will be exposed to High-Volume, Real-World Systems - the company powers South Africa's payments ecosystem, processing millions of daily transactions.

That means you will gain experience with high-throughput, low-latency, mission-critical financial systems (adding significant value to your CV for future senior engineering or architect roles).

You will work with a modern, in-demand Tech Stack: Java 8+, Spring Boot, REST APIs, Microservices, Cloud (AWS / Azure), Docker / Kubernetes, Kafka / RabbitMQ, CI / CD, SQL & NoSQL. Mastering cloud-native microservices at scale is a major career accelerator. Essentially, for a Java developer, this role offers a rare combination of hands‑on engineering, modern technology, leadership development, high-impact systems, and strong compensation - which will position you for rapid career growth in fintech, enterprise systems, or global cloud-native engineering roles.

The company: This is one of South Africa's leading fintech product houses (they build the cloud‑native payments software that powers millions of daily transactions for the major banks and retailers). They are the expert in next‑generation payments software, helping leading banks and retailers move money efficiently, securely, and at scale - enabling millions of South Africans to transact every day. They've built a reputation for delivering trusted, enterprise-grade payments solutions across high-volume, low-value payment schemes and services.

Their technology powers real‑world financial ecosystems that make a tangible difference. If you've ever paid a bill, topped up airtime, or sent money using your favourite banking app...there's a good chance this company was behind it.

The role: This is a hands‑on technical leadership role - you'll mentor engineers, guide complex projects from design to deployment, and stay deeply involved in building scalable, cloud‑native Java systems that keep the country's payments ecosystem running.

WHY IT'S A STANDOUT OPPORTUNITY FOR A JAVA DEV

Lead and stay hands‑on: Move into leadership without losing your technical edge. Modern tech stack: Java 8+, Spring Boot, Microservices, Docker / Kubernetes, Kafka, AWS / Azure, CI / CD. High‑scale, real‑world systems: Get enterprise‑grade fintech experience - the kind global companies value highly. Career growth: Build the kind of leadership track record that opens doors to architect or engineering manager roles. Strong compensation: R1.3m–R1.6m package for the right person.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead and mentor a team of software engineers and business analysts.
• Guide project delivery from design through deployment, ensuring high-quality, on-time delivery.
• Architect and review scalable, cloud-native software solutions.
• Collaborate with product managers, professional services, and project teams to define priorities and timelines.
• Foster a collaborative, purpose-driven team culture with a focus on growth and innovation.
• Conduct one-on-ones, performance reviews, and support each team member's professional development.
• Contribute code and technical insight to key projects — leading by example.
• Participate in recruitment and help shape the next generation of Electrum talent.

TECH STACK AND REQUIRED SKILLS

• Java (8+), Spring Boot, Spring Framework
• RESTful APIs, Microservices Architecture
• Cloud-Native Application Design (preferably Azure or AWS)
• CI / CD using tools like Jenkins, GitLab CI, or Azure DevOps
• Containerisation and Orchestration – Docker, Kubernetes
• Database Technologies – SQL (PostgreSQL, MySQL) and NoSQL (MongoDB, Cassandra)
• Messaging & Integration – Kafka, RabbitMQ, ActiveMQ
• Testing Frameworks – JUnit, Mockito, TestContainers
• Version Control – Git
• Agile Development Practices – Scrum, Kanban

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• 2+ years leading a software development team.
• 6+ years of solid software development experience.
• Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or similar.
• Someone who enjoys mentoring, learning, and solving complex technical problems.
• Bonus points if you've worked in payments, fintech, or enterprise systems.

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE

• Designing or maintaining scalable enterprise systems.
• Working with payments, financial services, or transactional systems.
• Exposure to cloud infrastructure and high-availability environments.